Exhibit 23.1

                          INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

The Board of Directors
Citizens Communications Company:

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (No.
33-52873) on Form S-3, in the Registration Statement (No. 33-63615) on Form S-3,
in the Registration Statement (No. 333-7047) on Form S-3, in the Registration
Statement (No. 333-71821) on Form S-8, in the Registration Statement (No.
333-71597) on Form S-8, in the Registration Statement (No. 333-71029) on Form
S-8, in the Registration Statement (No. 33-42972) on Form S-8, in the
Registration Statement (No. 33-48683) on Form S-8, and in the Registration
Statement (No. 33-54376) on Form S-8 of Citizens Communications Company of our
report dated June 2, 2000, relating to the combined balance sheets of the GTE
Combined Entities (California, Arizona, West Coast, Nebraska, and Illinois) as
of December 31, 1999 and 1998 and the related combined statements of income and
cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31,
1999, which report appears in the Form 8-K of Citizens Communications Company
dated November 14, 2000.


                                                 /s/ KPMG LLP

New York, New York
November 14, 2000